The 'McPath'

[Apache]

I wear baggys on the bike. I'm so hard that my arse doesn't feel the saddle anymore. (Look at my saddle)

Mav, go through the pain, or alternatively, get a better saddle. I went through 3 before I found the make / style that suits me.

Funnily enough, if you wander round Spain or France, you barely see a rider who *isn't* dressed in attire that could be seen from space. We're a bit more reserved in the UK, especially in cross country mountain biking circles. Baggys and loose T's or hoodies are the order of the day - unless you're a downhiller then you (necessarily) look like Evel Knievel!

[Rustinho]

Look again at the photo, look hard at the saddle. Without the proper cycling shorts my backside wouldn't last 2 miles. Also they stop chaffing, and believe it or not increase speed!

It's my scrotum (TMI?) that cops it most in terms of chaffing when I use my pedal bike. Might try the cycling shorts thing if it has a chance of working...

[Apache]

Nah, probably just have unfeasibly large testicles.

[slobodan]

You is a 'MAMIL'

[slobodan]

Middle
Aged
Man
In
Lycra

tis a syndrome.

[Maverick]

It's my scrotum (TMI?) that cops it most in terms of chaffing when I use my pedal bike. Might try the cycling shorts thing if it has a chance of working...

Now I am seriously going to get flamed her. Your underwear is not helping the chaffing. Cycle shorts are designed to be worn against bare skin.

With regard to baggy clothing, when you get to 23mph or higher you don't want anything flapping as it can throw you off balance, gloves shirt shorts socks, you want them as close to the skin as possible.

[Rustinho]

Now I am seriously going to get flamed her. Your underwear is not helping the chaffing. Cycle shorts are designed to be worn against bare skin.

With regard to baggy clothing, when you get to 23mph or higher you don't want anything flapping as it can throw you off balance, gloves shirt shorts socks, you want them as close to the skin as possible.

Cheers for the tip there. I don't actually own any cycling shorts (yet) but I'll probably give them a try if I can get some without spending a fortune.

[Maverick]

Cheap shorts are no good, I've got a pair that cost me £15 and circulation to certain appendages happen within five miles, and at seven my backside is numb. However my other pair cost me £40 and are brilliant. Look for eight panel, external seams, antibacterial inner pad, and anti slip rubber on the legs to stop them raising whilst peddling.

[flounderbout]

This thread has taken a truly horrifying turn

[POPEYE]

Havant council's just shelled out god knows how much on a new cycle path round the warren park school, runs right along the back of our place,
the scroats on motorcycles now have a nice little race track, to annoy everyone even more than they did

[GBV8]

This thread has taken a truly horrifying turn

It's an old one but I'm starting to envisage such things as this.

[Apache]

Last time I wore padded lycra was for a sponsored ride of around 250 miles over two days - I could get away with it then too cos I was early 20's and my body was a temple to cycling - now its more of a beer garden . I doubt it would have been comfortable to do it in 'ordinary' clothing.

However, these days, I don't cycle competitively or super-long distance. My maximum distances these days are probably 30 - 40 miles in a hit. I can do that without any irritation, chaffing, bottom numbness or instability (?) in baggy shorts and a T. Honest. And that may include a spot of 30 - 40mph offroad downhill.

A lot of issues 'cyclists' have is poorly setup bike, and bad saddle. Every day I see people riding with their seat height too low (wrecked knee joints anyone?), too stretched out (too long a stem - bad back, crushed b0llocks anyone?) and the cheap seat that came with their bike (anything from numb bum, chaffed thighs, to impotence!). The biggest issue I notice is people riding bikes too big for them. I'm 5'10" (or 5'9" by my wife's measure) and ride a 17" frame, and have happily ridden 15" and 16" frames in the past, yet I've seen people my height trying to get comfortable on ###### huge bikes!

Spend some time setting up your bike (or get a decent bike shop - not Halfords - to do it for you), get your handle bars to the right height and angles so your wrists sit at a natural position, and have decent grips. If its an MTB some bar ends will help stop cramp because they give you alternative hand positions. A good seat that suits YOUR bum is worth spending cash on, and good bike shops will advise based on your body shape. It makes a world of difference! I can ride all day with no discomfort at all through careful setup and good quality contact points - and my bike is an aluminium hardtail which are very rigid (some say unforgiving) but very responsive and efficient.

The other plus to NOT wearing lycra is you can go in the pub at the end of your ride without looking like a tw@t

Horses for courses of course. If I was clocking up hundreds or road miles in a hit, I'd definitely have some proper shorts (probably inside some less fluorescent ones!) but for the riding I do, I personally find it totally unnecessary.

One more comment in this rambling epic...

No-one bats an eyelid when a footballer wears stupid shoes with studs on the bottom. No-one thinks its odd that cricketers go to the wicket looking like feckin 'Terminator'. It's really not *that* odd to use the proper gear when cycling.

[Predictable Bob]

No arguments from me - lack of exercise is the biggest contribution to obesity today !

My kids eat anything that moves and quite a lot that doesn't - including McShite much to my annoyance (The boys both work in the local one) HOWEVER they all look like racing snakes cos they get plenty of exercise. The boys are currently wandering around Brecon in the pouring rain ...

I'm carrying around 3 stone extra due to spending most of the time since I left the Army either sitting behind a desk or a steering wheel - regretably running/cycling/swimming aren't an option cos my knees are wrecked and I can't swim worth a damn.

I've recently started geocaching cos it gives me an excuse for walking - I haven't lost any weight yet but my trousers aren't as snug as they used to be and I'm not in as much of a mess when I get to the top of the stairs !

[Bogus]

One more comment in this rambling epic...

No-one bats an eyelid when a footballer wears stupid shoes with studs on the bottom. No-one thinks its odd that cricketers go to the wicket looking like feckin 'Terminator'. It's really not *that* odd to use the proper gear when cycling.

True, but then again footballers and cricketers don,t wander the streets, travel to and from work, and pop to the shops for a paper in that garb.

[Apache]

True, but then again footballers and cricketers don,t wander the streets, travel to and from work, and pop to the shops for a paper in that garb.

Thats because they aren't partaking in their sport when they are going to the shops. When a cyclist is on his bike, he is, well... cycling!